Take-up system

ABSTRACT

An apparatus is disclosed for taking up one or more strands. The strands are received by a capstan from a strand processing source of supply at a relatively high tension. Each strand is fed by the capstan to a take-up apparatus at a relatively low tension so long as at least a particular minimum force is applied by the take-up apparatus for winding to the particular strand. When this minimum force is no longer applied to the strand the capstan ceases to feed the strand. The capstan is continuously driven at a constant speed. Preferably, a skewed idler roll is provided in association with the capstan for maintaining the strand wraps about the capstan and roll separate and distinct from each other. The tension at which the strands are fed to the winder may be varied by means of adjustable bails for varying the length of contact of the strands with the capstan. One of these bails is provided to obtain substantially equal tension of the strands fed to the take-up apparatus upon start-up of the apparatus, and another of the bails provides for a desired tension of the strands fed to the take-up apparatus during subsequent taking up of the strands. When winding of any strand stops, for example, when a wound package is full and the strand is cut, or the strand breaks between the capstan and the take-up apparatus the minimum force required for feeding of the strand to the take-up apparatus terminates so that feeding of the strand is automatically stopped while the capstan continues to be rotated.

United States Patent Bense Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 40,548, May 26, 1970,

[75] Inventor:

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl 242/45, 242/47.01, 242/47.09 [51] Int. Cl B65h 51/20, B65h 59/02 [58] Field of Search 242/45, 47.01, 47.08, 47.09, 242/47.12, 47.13, 147

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,160,495 5/1939 Francis 242/45 2,269,299 1/1942 Wiggins 242/45 2,284,244 5/1942 Allquist 242/45 2,641,913 6/1953 Alric 242/47.09 3,083,924 4/1963 Vossen et a1. 242/47. 12 3,093,330 6/1963 Schmidt 242/45 3,323,753 6/1967 Spurgeon 242/45 3,361,375 1/1968 Klink et a1. 242/42 3,480,218 11/1969 Lawson 242/45 3,765,988 10/1973 Schaffer et a1 242/45 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 934,764 8/1963 Great Britain 242/45 Primary E.raminerStanley N. Gilreath Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Burnett W. Norton; Albert P. Davis Aug. 27, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus is disclosed for taking up one or more strands. The strands are received by a capstan from a strand processing source of supply at a relatively high tension. Each strand is fed by the capstan to a take-up apparatus at a relatively low tension so long as at least a particular minimum force is applied by the take-up apparatus for winding to the particular strand. When this minimum force is no longer applied to the strand the capstan ceases to feed the strand. The capstan is continuously driven at a constant speed. Preferably, a skewed idler roll is provided in association with the capstan for maintaining the strand wraps about the capstan and roll separate and distinct from each other. The tension at which the strands are fed to the winder may be varied by means of adjustable bails for varying the length of contact of the strands with the capstan. One of these bails is provided to obtain substantially equal tension of the strands fed to the take-up apparatus upon start-up of the apparatus, and another of the bailsprovides for a desired tension of the strands fed to the take-up apparatus during subsequent taking up of the strands. When winding of any strand stops, for example, when a wound package is full and the strand is cut, or the strand breaks between the capstan and the take-up apparatus the minimum force required for feeding of the strand to the take-up apparatus terminates so that feeding of the strand is automatically stopped while the capstan continues to be rotated.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 TAKE-UP SYSTEM This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 40,548, filed May 26, 1970, now abandoned.

This invention relates to taking up at least one strand and, more particularly, to an apparatus for taking up a strand or strands received at a relatively high tension and feeding the strands to a take-up apparatus for winding at a relatively low tension, and effectively stopping feeding of a strand when the strand is no longer taken up.

As used herein take-up means winding a strand at a speed or rate at which the material is delivered. The term yarn means any type of strand material, whethertextile or otherwise. The tenn package means a body of yarn wound, or otherwise collected, so that itmay be readily moved from place to place.

Various systems are known for supplying yarn to a take-up apparatus. For example, the yarn may be fed through conventional pinch or multi-turn feed rolls, about godet rolls, or pull rolls in a coating or cooling bath or in an oven may feed the yarn to take-up apparatus. The former expedients permit withdrawing the yarn from a source of supply at relatively high tension and, through a take-up apparatus ability to coordinate its winding speed with the speed of the feed or godet rolls, the yarn may be fed to the take-up apparatus at a relatively low tension. However, in the case of the previously mentioned rolls, or other conventional feed rolls, should the yarn break or the yarn be cut for doffing purposes between the rolls and the take-up apparatus, the rolls will still feed the yarn to the winder, resulting in slack yarn piling up in unmanageable tangled yarn which is impractical to restart on a new package and becomes waste by reason of its continual feeding. Other yarn feeds, such as capstans, are known in the knitting machine art.

The apparatus to be described stops feeding of the yarn when the yarn is no longer being takenup and therefore eliminates the waste due to pile up of the yarn and facilitates restarting by reason of the yarn feeding only as it is drawn along, most commonly by hand, as it is placed in guides, over wheels and secured to a new package core in the course of rethreading the take-up apparatus.

The described apparatus is particularly applicable to those processes in which the yarn may be stopped temporarily for short periods of time compatible with the time required for doffing full packages and starting new packages without adverse effects being sustained by the processed yarn.

The invention is, in brief, directed to an apparatus for taking up a strand or strands received at a relatively high tension and fed for winding at a relatively low tension by take-up apparatus so long as at least a predetermined minimum tension is maintained on the strand as by the take-up apparatus. The strand or strands are fed to the take-up apparatus by a capstan. If the tension drops sufficientlylow, as upon stopping of taking up of the strand to doff a full package, or upon breakage of a strand, the capstan ceases to feed the strand to the take-up apparatus.

It is a primary object of this ivention to provide a new and improved apparatus for taking up a strand.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, foreshortened front view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a left side view of a portion of the apparatus as seen in FIG. 1, with another portion shown in phantom lines;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front view of a modification of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and- FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a plurality of strands 10 of yarn are withdrawn from a source of supply 12 and are passed over respective guide rollers 14 by means of a strand handling assembly 16. During normal operation, the handling assembly 16 receives the strands 10 at a relatively high tension from the source of supply 12, and feeds the strands for winding at a relatively low tension by any suitable take-up apparatus 18, for example, a Model 959 take up, manufactured by Leesona Corporation, Warwick, RI. In contemporary Model 959 take ups, a compensator arm 20 (FIG. 3, to be more fully discussed later) regulates strand tension by regulating the speed of a variable speed motor (not shown) which drives a spindle 21 about which the strands are taken up, as is well understood in the art and as is duscussed, for example, in the following Leesona Corporation patents US. Pat. No. 2,752,105, dated June 26, 1956; US. Pat. No. 2,754,459, dated July 10, 1956; and US. Pat. No. 3,048,343, dated Aug. 7,1962. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, strand tension may be maintained by a constant torque motor (not shown) in which event each of the strands 10 pass from the handling assembly 16 and around a respective one of guide pulleys 22 on spring pressed dancer arms 24.

The source of supply 12 may be of any desired type, and herein is illustrated to indicate a glass yarn coating process for glass tire cord, or the like. This source of supply 12 includes a housing 26 within which the strands 10 are withdrawn from respective packages (not shown). Each strand 10 passes over guide rolls (not shown) as it is drawn through a treating bath from which it makes a plurality of passes over guide rolls in an oven (not shown), and thereafter the strands l0 emerge from the housing 12 through an opening 28. The handling'assembly 16 may provide the entire motive force for moving the strands 10 through the coating process. From the coating process the yams 10 to be taken up by a particular take-up apparatus pass first, as previously noted, over their respective guide rolls 14. These rolls are joumaled on respective brackets 30 fixedly secured to a horizontal arm of a pedestal 32 which is suitably fixed to a base 34 of the handling assembly -l6, this assembly being fixed to a shelf 36 of a suitable frame 38.

From the guide rolls 14 the strands 10 pass, as previously. mentioned, to the handling assembly 16 and, as

shown by solid lines in HG. 1, first pass about a driven roll in the form of a capstan 40 and then about a skewed idler roll 42 joumaled on an axle 44 which is fixed at one end, as by bolts 46 (FIG. 2), to a generally vertical plate 48 fixed to the base 34 as by bolts 50. The strands 10 may make one or more passes about. the capstan 40 and the idler roll 42 before passing from the capstan to the take-up apparatus 18 The capstan 40 is suitably fixedly mounted to a shaft 5.2 which is received in journals 54 suitably fixedly mounted, as by legs 56,

on the base 34 of the handling assembly 16. A belt pulley wheel 58 (FIG. 2) is suitably fixed to the left end (FIG. 2) of the capstan shaft 52 and receives a belt 60 which is driven by a pulley wheel 62 (FIG. 1) on the shaft of a constant operating speed motor 64. Obviously, in setting up the apparatus for a particular run, the speed of the motor 64 may be varied, but during any given run the speed of the motor remains substantially constant.

When a force above an operative minimum force is applied to a strand 10 downstream of the capstan 40, the strand is fed by the capstan. In order to vary the capstan effect, that is, in order to adjust to the particular frictional characters of a strand 10 of yarn, an adjustable bail 66 is provided for varying the effective length of the strands 10 in engagement with the cylindrical surface of the capstan 40. Herein, the bail 66 is generally L-shaped and has a horizontal arm 68 for engaging all or a portion of the upper runs of each of the strands 10 between the capstan 40 and the idler roll 42. A second arm 70 of the bail 66 is pivoted by a pin 72 to the pedestal 32 which mounts the guide rolls 14. The pivoted end portion of the second arm 70 carries a bolt 74 which extends through a quardrant slot 76 (FIG. 1) in the pedestal 32 and is adapted to be locked in adjusted pivoted position, relative to the pedestal, by a nut 78 (FIG. 2). As shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bail 66 is out of engagement with the strands 10 so that they have maximum contact with the capstan 40. When the bail 66 is in an upward position, the upper runs or, if desired, only one or a limited number of the upper runs of each strand may be threaded so that they are deflected upwardly as shown by phantom lines l0.l, thus decreasing the length of contact of the strands with the capstan 40, and thus decreasing the feed rate and thereby increasing the tension of the strands as they are received by the take-up apparatus 18. The bail 66 may be adjusted so that a slack strand dangling from the capstan will not cause the strand to be fed by the capstan.

Upon initiating winding of a plurality of strands of yarn 10, the strands are each wrapped around respective cores 80 (FIG. 1) which are removably clamped on the winder spindle 21. Upon starting rotation of the spindle 21, the strands l wind onto the cores 80. However, it may happen that one of the strands is relatively loose or slack. Because of feeding of the slack strand by the handling assembly, this slack may not be quickly taken up by the spindle 21 so that a poor package or starting failure would result. To avoid this possible difficulty, a second bail 82 is provided. This second bail 82 is L-shaped and has a horizontal arm 84 with an operating knob 86 at its free end. A second arm 88 of the bail 82 has a finger 90 (FIG. 2 and 4) pivotally mounted on and extending through a bracket 92 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) suitably fixedly secured to the base 34 of the handling assembly 16. A detent 94 (FIGS. 2 and 4) is suitably fixed to the finger 90 and is selectively urged into one of two sockets 96 not visible, and 98 (FIG. 4) by a compression spring 100 (FIG. 2) telescoped on the finger 90 between the bracket 92 and a collar 102 secured in place on the finger. One socket 96 is provided for normally maintaining the bail 82 in an inoperative, depressed position as shown by solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the other socket 98 is provided for maintaining the bail 82 in an operative, raised position as shown by phantom lines in FIGS. 1 and 2. In order to eliminate thepreviously mentioned slack condition in one of the strands, the bail 82 may be manually pivoted to its operative position by raising the knob 86, whereupon lengths of the strands 10-2 (phantom lines in FIGS. 1 and 2) are removed from engagement with the capstan 40 so that the feed capability of the capstan is reduced and the spindle 21 may take up any slack in the slack strand. The reduced capstan feeding capability causes the strand tensions to equalize since the capstan will slip on the slack strand and this strand will not be fed, whereas it might be fed by the capstan when the bail 82 in its inoperative position (solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 2). Simultaneously, the tighter strand, although its surface contact on the capstan is reduced, will feed ahead since tension in said tight strand will have increased by reason of the takeup apparatus exerting its full tension capability on this tight strand, whereas the full tension capability is normally divided into two or more strands.

While the take up winds the taut strand, it will simultaneously windup the slack, unfed strand or strands until all strands are at substantially the same tension.

When all'the strands being fed to the take-up apparatus are at substantially the same tension, the spindle may slow down or stop because of the higher load and the ball 82 may be swung from operative (phantom line) position to its inoperative (solid line) position, whereupon the capstan wrap will increase, the wrap will become compatible to take up applied minimal capstan activating tension and both strands will again be fed and taken up at substantially the same tension.

- Since the illustrated take-up apparatus 18 is industrially well known, it will be described but briefly. As the strands 10 are fed from the handling apparatus 16 to the take-up apparatus 18, they pass through a pair of guide notches 104 (FIG. 2) in a guide plate 106 fixed to a body 108 of the take-up apparatus. From the guide notches 104 the strands 10 are received by the respective guide pulleys 22, one mounted on each of the dancer arms 24 which are separately journaled on a fixed rod 110 secured to a bracket 112 (FIG. 1) suitably fixed to a lower shelf 114 (FIG. 1) to the frame 38. The dancer arms 24 serve to reduce variations in the strand tension that would otherwise be experienced due to the fanning action and variation in strand speed caused by rapid reciprocation of the strand in the case of helically or cross wound packages and without which, loss of constant feeding might take place if variations in fed strand tension dropped below the preset corresponding minimum capstan feeding tension. The dancer arms 24 are urged downwardly about the rod 110, each by respective tension springs 116 secured at one end to the respective arm and at the opposite end to an associated bracket 118 suitably fixed to the lower shelf 114 (FIG. 1) of the frame 38. From the dancer arm pulleys 22, the strands 10 pass upwardly through respective traversing guides 120 (only one shown in FIG. 1) and are wound onto their respective cores 80 to form packages 122 which are urged against a roller bail 123 as the packages are being formed. The spindle 21 is mounted on a support 124 (FIG. 1) pivoted by means of a shaft 125 on the base 108 which is in turn suitably fixed to a middle shelf 126 of the frame 38, all in a known manner. Should one of the strands break, or for some reason become slack, or be severed at termination of formation of its package, its associated dancer arm 24 will be pivoted downwardly by the associated spring 116 to operate a switch 128 mounted a bracket 130 which, in turn, is suitably fixed to an associated one of the fixed bracket 118 to shut off the takeup apparatus 18 and/or, if desired, to actuate a signal such as a light, horn or bell. One such switch 128 is provided for eachof the dancer arms 24, as is shown in FIG. 2. Similarly, a suitable switch 132 (FIG. 1) may be mounted on a bracket 134 fixed to the frame 38, to be engaged by the spindle support 124 (FIG. 1) when the package 122 is full. This switch 132 also serves to shut down the take-up apparatus 18 and/or, if desired, to actuate a signal as previously mentioned. Whether or not the take-up apparatus 18 is shut down, or if a particular strand is not being taken up, it will continue to be held taut in the coating process because the capstan 40 is still rotating. The end or ends -3 (phantom lines in FIGS. 1 and 2) of the strand or strands may be held by the package or packages 122, or in any suitable type of spring clips 140. When the packages 122 are full, or in the event that a strand breaks, the free end of the yarn 10-3 may be held in any suitable type of clip. Because the strand force is below the minimum force required for feeding of the strand by the capstan 40 it ceases to be fed, and the capstan simply slides across the strand.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the well known compensator control may be as shown in the previously mentioned patents, except that a pair of compensator arms (only one shown) and associated strand guide wheels 142 are provided, one for each of the strands. In this embodiment the two arms 20 are fixed to a common shaft 144 which is journaled in a portion of a compensator speed control sensor 146, as is known from the prior art. A switch 148 for shutting down the apparatus may be provided as in the prior embodiment.

While this invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments in a particular environment, various changes may be apparent to one skilled in the art and the invention is therefore not to be limited to such embodiments or environment except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for winding in separate packages at a relatively low tension a plurality of strands withdrawn from supply means at relatively high tension comprising, winding means including common spindle means for winding up said strands into separate packages at a controlled tension, capstan means positioned between said supply means and said winding means, said capstan means having a surface on which said strands are wrapped, bail means positioned proximate to said surface, said strands being engaged on said bail means after engagement on said surface, distributing means for guiding each said strand in a separate path about said surface and said bail means, first means for rotating said capstan means at a constant speed to withdraw said strands from said supply means under said relatively high tension and'advance said strands to said winding means at a preselected rate, second means for driving said winding means at a predetermined torque value to wind up said strands while applying a predetermined tension into said strands to cause each said strand to constantly engage on and be driven by said capstan means during winding of said strands on said winding means, said predetermined tension being less than the tension in each said strand as each said strand is drawn from said supply means, and said bail means being operable to preclude advancing of said strands by said capstan means when said strands are not being wound up on said winding means.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including separate strand engaging means for engaging each of said strands between said capstan means and said winding means, each said engaging means being operable to direct an associated strand in a path to provide a storage loop in said strand, each said engaging means being movable in response to tension fluctuations introduced into said associated strand between said capstan means and said winding means to thereby substantially preclude said fluctuations from being transmitted to the associated strand on said capstan means.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said second means is a variable speed motor.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the surface of said capstan means is an elongated cylindrical surface adapted to have each said strand engaged in a plurality of wraps thereabout.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second means is operable to rotate said capstan means at a substantially constant speed.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including second bail means positioned proximate to said capstan means, means mounting said second bail means for movement between operative and inoperative positions, each of said plurality of strands being wrapped on said second bail means concurrently with being wrapped on said capstan means, and manipulating means for moving said second bail means between its operative position to remove at least a portion of each strand from engagement with said capstan means and its inoperative position displaced from substantial engagement with said strands to thereby permit said capstan means to advance said plurality of strands to said winding means.

said wrap of said strand around said capstan means. 

1. Apparatus for winding in separate packages at a relatively low tension a plurality of strands withdrawn from supply means at relatively high tension comprising, winding means including common spindle means for winding up said strands into separate packages at a controlled tension, capstan means positioned between said supply means and said winding means, said capstan means having a surface on which said strands are wrapped, bail means positioned proximate to said surface, said strands being engaged on said bail means after engagement on said surface, distributing means for guiding each said strand in a separate path about said surface and said bail means, first means for rotating said capstan means at a constant speed to withdraw said strands from said supply means under said relatively high tension and advance said strands to said winding means at a preselected rate, second means for driving said winding means at a predetermined torque value to wind up said strands while applying a predetermined tension into said strands to cause each said strand to constantly engage on and be driven by said capstan means during winding of said strands on said winding means, said predetermined tension being less than the tension in each said strand as each said strand is drawn from said supply means, and said bail means being operable to preclude advancing of said strands by said capstan means when said stRands are not being wound up on said winding means.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including separate strand engaging means for engaging each of said strands between said capstan means and said winding means, each said engaging means being operable to direct an associated strand in a path to provide a storage loop in said strand, each said engaging means being movable in response to tension fluctuations introduced into said associated strand between said capstan means and said winding means to thereby substantially preclude said fluctuations from being transmitted to the associated strand on said capstan means.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said second means is a variable speed motor.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the surface of said capstan means is an elongated cylindrical surface adapted to have each said strand engaged in a plurality of wraps thereabout.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second means is operable to rotate said capstan means at a substantially constant speed.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including second bail means positioned proximate to said capstan means, means mounting said second bail means for movement between operative and inoperative positions, each of said plurality of strands being wrapped on said second bail means concurrently with being wrapped on said capstan means, and manipulating means for moving said second bail means between its operative position to remove at least a portion of each strand from engagement with said capstan means and its inoperative position displaced from substantial engagement with said strands to thereby permit said capstan means to advance said plurality of strands to said winding means.
 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said bail means includes means for varying the extent of each said wrap of said strand around said capstan means. 